Getting Started

Why is This a Key?

Positive youth development activities help young people learn the skills they need to succeed in daily living and in the future. Adults can help youth learn these skills in group settings through 4-H “learning-by-doing” activities.

In this section are answers to some important questions adult leaders have when they begin to plan a group or Club for youth.

Keys to Understanding

Some of the basic questions leaders ask in getting a group organized are:

• Who Will the Group Leaders Be?

  Adult leaders should:

  • like to work with youth.
  • have an interest that they can share with enthusiasm.
  • be screened and registered for the protection of the youth (contact the 4-H Office for details on these requirements).
  • have access to ideas, resources, and training.

  The person who starts as leader can often find others who can help at least some of the time.

• Where will the Group Meet?

  Young people need safe, secure and regularly available meeting places. Check with local schools, churches, libraries, or community centers. If the site has forms mentioning legal liability, send it to the 4-H Office for proper signatures.

• When will the Group Meet?

  Clubs or groups should meet at a time and on a day when the most adult leaders or members can come. (It’s nearly impossible to find a time when everybody can make it). Meetings should be close enough to keep enthusiasm going, but not so often as to be seen as a “chore” by members.

• Where will we Get Members?

  A group or Club only needs as few as three, but ideally at least six to ten young people, to get started.

  Many clubs start with a few families and grow by “word of mouth.” Others put up posters in schools or community buildings announcing the first meeting.

• What will the Group Do?

  The Extension Office has a wealth of “hands-on” learning activities on a variety of topics. For young people ages 9 and up, they are organized into “projects” with a certain number of activities.

  It is very important to give the members a “say” in planning what the group or Club does.

• Will There Be Enough Fun to Hold the Members’ Interest?

  Consider these four key suggestions for a good balance of fun and learning in your group:

  • allow for social time and help members get to know each other.
  • involve members in planning activities.
  • add variety with field trips and guest speakers, and community service.
  • don’t try to do too much at any one meeting.

  Youth learn best when involved in something that has a clear beginning, and an ending point or “mile post.” This end point provides an opportunity to look back, evaluate progress, and celebrate. It also gives members a chance to be rewarded for their personal achievements, and for their contributions to the group.

• Is Help Available to Leaders?

  4-H Youth Development staff are happy to answer questions from adult leaders about the best way to work with youth. They offer training sessions, and have access to a wealth of written resources and web site information.

What Key People are Saying

Caring organizations create environments in which youth feel welcome, respected, and comfortable. — Dr. Jeff King, State 4-H Leader, Ohio, 2001

When adults who are not their parents or teachers give them time, share knowledge with them, and care about them, then the youth feel important, and it helps them feel good about themselves. — Deborah Newman, Cuyahoga County 4-H Advisor

Members find out what they like and choose their own projects. Adults help the officers, and the members really go for the idea of running their own club. — Rosetta Johnson, Cuyahoga County 4-H Advisor

One of the rewards of being a 4-H advisor is the satisfaction of seeing boys and girls develop skills, attitudes, and new interests, and helping them grow in confidence, poise, and the ability to assume responsibility and leadership. — Dr. Fred Bruny, Leader, Volunteer Development, Ohio 4-H Program, 1980

Keying In

Use this worksheet to help you collect your thoughts as you plan to get your group or Club started:

Key Resources

• Dr. Fred Bruny et al, The Green Pages: 4-H Advisor’s Handbook (1996)
  Columbus, OH, The Ohio State University
• Ohio 4-H Program, Positive Youth Development (2001)
  Columbus, OH, The Ohio State University
• Wilson, Carolyn, Effective 4-H Club Meetings
  http://ohioline.osu.edu/4h-fact/0006.html
• Wilson, Carolyn, 4-H Program Planning
  http://ohioline.osu.edu/4h-fact/0007.html

Teaching Outlines

We hope you found this material helpful. If you did and would like to use it as the topic of a training session with other youth leaders (time - Approx. 1 hour), select the topic(s) of interest to you below, fill in your E-mail Address and click “Send!”send this page to us at the address below:

4-H Keys for Leaders
2490 Lee Boulevard, Suite 108
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118

We will contact you with more information about our Teaching Outlines.

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This youth leader's guide my be reproduced and distributed for educational purposes if the following attribution is made under the title of the guide:

A PUBLICATION OF
Gregory P Siek, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Cuyahoga County
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION, CUYAHOGA COUNTY

Unless otherwise noted, all material within may be distributed freely for educational purposes. Anyone redistributing the material must include this copyright notice and must use the appropriate citation including the URL. Credit should also given to Diamond Advertising, Inc. of Cleveland, Ohio, for development of web-based format. Also, we would appreciate users sending notice to Gregory P. Siek as to how the material is being used. No reproduction for commercial use is given without a written permission agreement.

Series developed with grant support from Ohio 4-H Foundation, 2004.